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TELESGOPIO' FIRE ESG'APE. 1707361779. Patented Aug. 9,1887.

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E.H.BAYLBY. TELESGOPIG FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Aug 9, 1887.

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(No-Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3. I E. H.'B'AYLEY.

- TELESG'OPIG FIRE ESCAPE. I No; 367,779. Patent'd'Aug; 9, 188

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(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 5.

.EfH. BAYLEY.

' TELESCOPIO FIRE ESCAPE.

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(No .Mode1.) I 6 Sheets-Sheet 6'.

E. H. BAYLEY.

TELESGOPIG FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 367,779. Patented Aug. 9; 1887.

Www a EmardEOZYm/B Zg 1W WMM W A/ N. PUERS. Plmto'Liihngrapher. wuhington. D. C.

' LEY, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain,

residing at N o. 42 Newington Causeway, in the illustrated in the accompanying figures, in

.Fi 5is a lan of an alternative construct-ion UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD HODSON BAYLEY, OF 42 NEW'INGTON CAUSEWAY, COUNTY OF SURREY, ENGLAND.

/ TELESCOPJIC. FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,779, dated August 9, 1887. Application filed April 2'1, 1886. Serial No. 200,375. (No model.) Patented in England November .2 9, 1884, No, 15,763.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD HoDsoN BAY- county of Surrey, England, fire-escape manufaeturer, have invented certain Improvements in Extensible Fire-Escape Ladders, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great-Britain, No. 15,763, dated November 29, 1881,) of which the following is a specification.

My'invention relates to improvements in the construction of extensible fire-escape ladders; and it consists in improved means for strength ening the side rails of the ladder-sections, for rapidly and easily transporting the ladder to the scene-of the fire, for raising it to the proper angle with the horizon, and for extending the upper sections.

I attain'the various objects of my invention by means of the severalmechanical devices Whieha Fig-are 1 is a side elevation of an extensible fire-escape ladder constructed according to my invention, showing it raised, but with the upper sections of the ladder not extended. The tops of the various sections have been broken oil to accommodate the figure to the size of the sheet. Fig. 2 is a plan of the stage F, looking at it in a line parallel with the ladder on Fig. 1 from a point of view above the traveling wheels and showing the sections of the ladder in section. Fig. 2 is. a part side elevation of a fireescape ladder after it has been raised, with the extensi ble snpplementarylevers out and the sections not extended. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the extended supplementary levers swung down on their hinges to a right angle with the stage, omitting the chains. Fig. 4. is a plan of part of the side of a ladder-section strengthened by the addition of a metallic strip. Fig.5 is a plan of the winding-gear.

of winding-gear. I ig. 6 is a side elevation of my improved wagon, which may be used for the transport of my improved fire-escape ladder to and from a conflagration. Fig. 7 is a plan of the hinged shoe of the wagon. Fig. 8 illustrates a modification of the under carriage of the truck. Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing my fire-escape ladder loaded upon its wagon; Part of the ladder has been broken off in order to bring the figure within thelimits of the sheet.

. Extensible fireeseapeladdcrs have hitherto been mounted upon either two-wheel or fourwheel trucks.

When they have been mounted upon two'wheel trucks, it has sometimes been der that a longer ladder might be raised upon the truck without overturning it; but the system of anchors or stays is open to grave objeetion. Other inventors have proposed to mount their ladders upon four-wheel trucks. A four-wheel truck is naturally more stable than a two -wheel truck; but its increased length is likely to interfere with its being taken quickly round a corner or along a tortuous and narrow way.

- Now, according to my invention, I use a two-wheel truck with traveling wheels of a large diameter outside the truck, instead of J underneath it.

Upon the springs B of the truck I fix a plat form, A, which is securely bolted thereto in any usual and well-known way. I may under certain circumstances, as explained further on, replace the springs of the traveling gear by rigid bars of suitable strength,as illustrated in Figs. 3, 8, and 9. The length of the platform A may be and preferably is more than the diameter of the traveling wheels. Its width is equal to the distance separating the wheels, due allowance being made for a little play on the part of the-latter.

The bottom or main section, 0, of the ladder is firmly and permanently bolted down it, upon the platform A in a plane parallel with instead of being made removable therefrom or beingconnectedtheretobyintermediarybraces. The second section, D, lies upon the rungs or steps of the bottom section,and thethird section,

Ice

E, upon those of the second section,as sho wn in section in Fig. 2, each succeeding section de-' creasing in width to the extent of the width of the two side rails of the section upon which it lies. Each section is made with three railstwo side rails and a center one-the rungs passing through the latter and entering the former.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a ladder of three sections, although I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to this number of sections, inasmuch as there may be a larger number, although I find that three sections is a convenient number.

Both side rails of the bottom section are double-trnssed by braces c 0, (preferably of steel-wire rope,) two braces to each side rail. The braces are not rigidly connected to the extremities of the brace-struts over which they are stretched, but pass over anti-friction pulleys fixed in the extremities of said struts, (as

' indicated by the small dotted circles,) for the double purpose of allowing strains generated during the raising or lowering of the ladder to be distributed along the braces, and also of avoiding the risk of wrenching the brace-struts away from the sides of the sections to which they are respectively fixed-a risk which would be incurred if the junctions between the respective braces and brace-struts were rigid.

The under braces of the upper sections, D and E, are fixed inside the side rails close under the rungs and in a plane parallel therewith-4. 0., without brace-struts.

The top section of a fire-escape ladder made according to my invention may advantageously be double-trussed on each face of both side rails-that is to say, with two braces passing over bracestruts upon the top face of each side rail and two braces fixed inside the side rails and close under the rungs in a plane parallel therewith. I further strengthen the side rails of the several sections of my ladders by fixing a length of wire rope or wire in a longitudinal groove cut in a side rail. The wire rope or wire, whichever it may be, is fastened down by means of staples or other convenient devices.

Instead of or in addition to using a length of wire or wire rope, I sometimes thread a narrow strip of metal, d, between the rungs or spokes e, fastening it to the side rail in any convenient manner, as illustrated in Fig. 4-.

It has frequently been proposed to use toothed gearing for the purpose of raising fireeseape ladders; but the use of gearing for raising a heavy ladder is always attended by loss of time, no matter 110w perfect the particular gearing with which the ladder is furnished may be as a mechanical device, and time is of more value in the practical use of fire-escape ladders than the ingenuity displayed in the gearing with which they may be fitted.

According to my invention I provide an improved continuation of the platform A, firmly and rigidly connected thereto at a right angle therewith to serve as a means, instead of toothed gearing, for raising the ladder.

The whole ladder (using the expression whole ladder as equivalent to the sections plus the continuation) is as far as the raising or lowering of it is concerned a lever of the first class, having its fulcrum in the axle of the traveling gear, the sections forming the longer arm and the continuation above mentioned the shorter arm. This continuation is constructed in such a way that the weight of the ladder-men can be conveniently brought to bear upon it for the purpose of raising the ladder with an effect in proportion to the dis tance of the men from the axis of the ladder. It consists of a fixed stage, made longer relatively to its width than it has hitherto been the practice to make this part of a fire-escape ladder, and a pair of extensible supplemental levers hinged thereto.

F is the fixed stage, (orlever, as it is sometimes called,) and G a transverse iron brace.

Each extensible lever consists of two lengths or half-levers, H and H. Each half-lever II is hinged to the under face of the respective side of the stage F at h' and has an iron loop, 0, bolted toit near the end farthest from the hinge. A chain, 1), or other equivalent releasable fastening, is provided for the purpose of fixing a half-lever, II, at any angle with the stage F, and a second releasable fastening, pc. g., a hook and eye-for holding it close up to the stage at such times when the ladder is not in use or is in the wagon. The second half lever, II, slides in the loop 0, being guided therein by the open loop g, which is bolted toits inner extremity and embraces the half-lever II. The sides of the half-levers II and II and the bottoms of the latter are protected from undue friction with theloops 0 and q by metal plates 1'. A pair of projections, r 1, upon each bottom plate, 1, serve as stops for the purpose of limiting the motion of the half-lever H in the loop 0.

Each pair of half-levers may be connected by transverse pieces, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

\Vhen it is required to raise the ladder into the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the fastenings p are released, and the nuextended levers H are allowed to swing down upon their hinges h to within reach of the ladder-men, when the chains p are made fast to hooks projeeting from the inner faces ofthe side rails of the stage F. (N ot shown in the figures.) The levers are next extended by drawing the halflevcrs H out until the stops 1" bear against the loops 0. Pulling at the extended levers, the stage F and the transverse brace G raise the ladder in a moment, it being evident that with a given amount of muscular energy the task of raising the escape will be the lighter the farther from the axis of the ladder said energy can be applied.

I give below some of the dimensions of a v fire-escape ladder. made according to my in-' vention. These figures show at a glance the practical advantages in point of compactness of construction which this invention confers upon its users as compared with the dimensions of fire-escape ladders invented previously.

I The dimensions of the th rec-section fire-escape ladder illustrated in the figures are as follows: Total length over all before being raised and the sections unextended, thirty-four feet; height to which the ladder reaches when extended, one hundred feet; width ofthe bottom section, 0, at its foot, fourfeet nine inches; area of the stage F, eight feet six inches by four feet nine inches; area of ground occupied by the ladder when raised and extended, thirteen feet six inches by seven feet three inches.

The gear by means of which the upper sections of the ladder are extended or elevated and lowered consists of. winding-gear supported in any convenient way in the same plane as the axle of the traveling gear of the ladder and extending ropes, the respective ends of which are fastened to the drum of the winding-gear and the sections of the ladder.

Referring to Fig. 5, the axle of thetraveling gear has projecting square ends i to receive movable winch-handles, by means of which it can be rotated inits journals. I is the drum of the winding-gear, keyed fast on its shaft, which is free to rotate in the frame of said gear. The rotary motion of the axle is communicated to the drum I by means of toothed gearing h. J is a pawl-andratchet gear for the purpose'of preventing the sections running down when the winch-handles are freed.

The winding-drum I may be made duplex,

. and toothed gearing h be placed between the two drums, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

I do not confine myself to the number of pinions-viz, two-in the gearing h, inasmuch as I may use more than two; but whatever number is used they are always geared for power, as shown in Figs. 5 and 5.

The extending or elevating ropes f f are led from the drum I, round pulleys fixed near the top of the bottom section, (J, to pulleys fixed near the foot of the second section, D, from which they are led round pulleys fixed near the top of the second section to the foot of the section E, and so on, if there are more sections, the ropesralways being fastened to near the bottom of the top section.

I do not confine myself to the above-described arrangement of ropes, as it is obvious that there are other systems of arranging and connecting the ropes to the respective sections which may be used; but I always use duplicate ropes,.so that in theevent of one snapping the ladder may not be rendered useless.

Afire-escape ladder constructed according tomy invention may be wheeled to its destination on its own wheels after being raised in the way j ust described.

My improved means for rapid transportaaxle-bearings rigidly bolted to them.

shoe or trough, L, to the outside of the lower hind part of the wagon, one shoe on each side of the van, the rear end of each shoe flush with the tail of the van and the bottom of the shoe with the bottom of the van. The internal width of a shoe in its widest part is rather more than the width of a traveling wheel of the fire-escape. I hinge a continuation, Z, to the rear end of each shoe L, and these continu ations are of a suffieient length to form a gentle incline between the ground and the shoes L. The continuations Z are of the same'crosssection as the shoes L at their widest part, and

the connection between the latter and the body of the van is strengthened by braces k.

i M is a rope, one end of which is fast to the side of the van,and the other, after having been passed through an eye, Z, on the continuation Z,to a cleat, m, also on the side of the van.

. N is a hauling-rope. One end is fixed to the fore part of the van inside and the other passed round the axle of the escape and then made fast to the fore part of the van. There may be more than one hauling-rope.

I provide rollers 7c, fixed at a convenient height for the sections of the ladder to rest on when it is in the van and to facilitate its 'removal therefrom.

The hind wheels,P, of the van are provided with springs s, fixed to suitable upright brackets, s, the axleof these wheels standing immediately. in front of the traveling wheels of the escape; and with springs on the van I find it unnecessary to provide the truck of the ladder with springs. I therefore replace the springs 13, illustrated in Fig. 1, by rigid iron brackets N, bolted to the platform A, and having the Iain aware that it has been proposed to use rigid brackets in the place of the well-known springs in the truck of a fire-eseapeladder, (see Rileys Patent No. 276,715, May 1, 1883;) but for the purpose of allowing the axle and traveling wheels to be swung out of position, whereas, according to the method'of constructingafireescape ladder described herein the axle and traveling wheels are never swung out of posi tion, but are permanently connected to the platform .A, and rigidly,as well, (excepting only for the vibration of the springs B when the latter are used.)

A fire-escape ladder constructed as before described, andloaded in a van, as described and illustrated, is taken out of the van in the following manner. v

Two ladder-men climb into the van by the steps t, one at each side, and loosen the ropes M. The continuations Z at once fall into the inclined position indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 9. The hauling-rope N is next unloosened,and a push at the traveling wheels causes them to descend the now downwardlyinclined continuations Z, the sections sliding the while over the rollers 7;, which continue to support them after the wheels of the escape have reached the ground. \Vhen it has reached the ground, it can be raised and extended, as before described.

I am aware that it has been already pro posed to use four-wheel vans for the conveyance of two-wheel fire-escape ladders, and I wish it to be distinctly understood that I lay 11o broad claim to be the inventor of a fourwheel van for the conveyance of a two-wheel fire-escape ladder which can,after the arrival at the scene of the fire, be removed from the van; but I wishto point out that myimproved van is distinguished bysimplieit-y of construction, facility in handling, and efficiency in action.

I claim- 1. In an extensible fire-escape ladder the truck of which has only two traveling wheels and the axle of which is rotated by hand for the purpose of actuating the wimling-drum, the combination of a wide platform rigidly attached to the axle of the truck by two rigid braekets,and carried by them in a plane between the two traveling wheels,bottom laddersection bolted fast upon thetop of the platform in a plane parallel therewith, narrow metal strips led in a zigzag direction between the rungs of the several sections and fastened upon the side rails thereof, fixed stage firmly c011- neeted to the bottom edge ofthe platform at a right angle therewith, transverse iron brace bolted to the stage, two extensible supplemental levers hinged to the under side of the stage, a winding-drum parallel with the axle of the truck, power-gearing communicating the motion of the axle of the truck to the windingdrum, and duplex windingropes, substantially as set forth.

2. In an extensible lire-escape ladder, the combination of a stage fixed at right angles to the bottom edge of a platfornnto which the bottom section of the ladder is permanently attached, with two extensible supplemental levers (or one extensible frame) hinged to the under side of the said stage, and which two levers (or one extensible frame) can bedropped to within reach of the ladder-men on the ground, and fastening devices adapted to hold said levers or frame up in a plane parallel with the stage onto he released to lower them or it, substantially as and for the purpose described, and illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. v

3. In an extensible fire-escape ladder, and 5 for the sake of strengthening the several sections thereof, the combination, with the side rails of the ladder, of the metallic strips threaded between the rungs and fixed to the said side rails, as set forth with reference to Fig. 4.

4-. In a four-wheel van for the conveyance of a two-wheel fire-escape ladder made separate and distinct from said van, the combination, with the body of the van, of rollers snpporting the ladder-sections, shoes on the outside of the van-body,in which shoes the trav eling wheels of the escape rest, hinged continuations of said shoes, whiclnwhen dropped, form inclines between the said shoes and the ground, connections between said continuations and the van-body,by which they can be let down or drawn up, and a hauling rope or ropes fastened by one end to the fore end of the van-body and passed round the axle of the eseape-ladder,by which combination said van is adapted to receive and carry the ladder, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

G120. J. B. FRANKLIN, Both of 17 G rrzecclmrch St, London. 

